Throughout industry, in all manner of types and character, in all phases of each, be it agriculture, mining, energy and the like, large transfers of fluid both intermittent and continuous are required. Traditional fluid transfer systems can range from hundreds of feet to miles of differing diameters, compositions, combinations, design pressure ratings and configurations. There are numerous disadvantages in such traditional fluid transfer systems, including but not limited to, the lack of capacity of tank trucks, a lack of conditioning facilities at loading sites, inefficiencies in installation time equipment and connections, and the cost and expense of metal and plastic tube and pipe and the inability to bury flexible, collapsible pipe, tube or hose for subterranean use. Additionally, there is a lack of early leak detection and warning systems related thereto.
Traditional below ground fluid transport pipelines are constructed from a series of interconnected pipe formed from a rigid material such as steel designed to retain its shape when buried below a ground surface. In contrast, traditional above ground fluid transport pipelines are often constructed from a flexible material formed from a series of interconnected tubes or hoses. The flexible tubes or hoses are configured to expand when fluid is transported therethrough and contract when fluid is removed therefrom (often referred to as “lay-flat” hoses).
Traditional above ground lay-flat hose systems have numerous advantages over traditional below ground rigid pipe systems, in terms of amount of material used, cost of material, ease of use, and efficiency of storage and transportation for example. Unfortunately, however, such traditional lay-flat hose systems and methods of use are unsuitable for subterranean use because the ground prevents the flexible lay-flat hose system from properly expanding when filled with fluid and properly contracting when fluid is removed therefrom.
To that end, it would be advantageous to provide an improved subterranean fluid transport system having a pipe segment with a rigid outer surface and a flexible inner sleeve positioned within the borehole of the pipe segment, the flexible inner sleeve configured to expand and contract within the borehole of the pipe segment when fluid is transported therethrough. Thus, providing numerous advantages over traditional subterranean pipeline systems. It is to such an improved subterranean fluid transport system, flange assembly and to methods for using thereof that exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed and claimed herein are directed.